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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · bowl · bound · mate · trunk · plane · coach · squash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bound — tied together
  5. squash — the sport
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bound — obliged
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bound — certain
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mate — to breed
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — a tool
  21. squash — to crush
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bowl — a football final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com